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The area from Namba to Shinsai-bashi is called Minami. In Minami, locals and tourists alike can enjoy the city atmosphere of "Kuidaore," Osaka. Everywhere, you'll find wonderful restaurants offering great dishes accompanied by Osaka's famous brand of hospitality. You can also visit cultural spots to see what the Naniwa (old name for Osaka) culture used to be like. |
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This is the typical Osaka. The city of "Kui-daore" is a place whose name means; bankrupt due to spending too much on food. Dotonbori presents its symbolic night view amidst a haze of red and blue neon signs including the signboard of Glico, a famous confectionary company. If you head south from Dotonbori, you'll find Osaka's busiest downtown streets filled with shopping centers and restaurants all along Ebisubashi-Suji, Sennichi-mae, and Namba. |
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Hozenji Alley still retains the calm, old atmosphere of Naniwa (the old name for Osaka). Along the narrow, stone-paved road can be seen many Japanese restaurants and bars. At Hozenji Temple, you'll see a statue of Fudomyo-ou (Acala), and also the Kompira hall. Visitors pour water over Mizukake Fudo (the Watered Fudo), a statue of Acala as they worship at the temple. |
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The first thing people see when they visit the Osaka Shochiku-za is the impressive great arched gateway.
Built in 1923, it was Osaka's first Western-style theater and stood in original form until being reconstructed in 1997. Today it is used as a drama theater and offers performances of various genre of play such as Kabuki and musicals. |
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1-9-19, Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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| 06-6214-2211 |
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This Momoyama-style building was designed in the Karaha style and faces Mido-Suji. Its splendid facade attracts many people's attention and when lit up at night, it becomes even more gorgeous. |
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4-3-25, Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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| 06-6631-2121 |
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Sennichimae Doguya-suji Street |
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A shopping street known for its kitchenware and tableware, this narrow street is crowded with pots, tableware, sign boards, and lanterns. The street contains many specialty stores for those in need of cooking supplies and tableware. They also sell takoyaki (octopus ball) pans and okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) hotplates, both a favorite of the majority of Osakans. |
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Sennichimae, Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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Wahha Kamigata is a unique museum introducing "owarai" culture (meaning; comedy). It describes the history of the "kamigata" culture (originating in the area around Kyoto and Osaka). Videos of popular old comedy shows and the performances of master comedians are also available to view. |
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12-7, Namba-sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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11am-6pm (Admission until 5.30pm) |
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Wed. (If Wed. is a holiday, Thur. will be closed.), Dec.27-Jan.1 |
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| 06-6631-0884 |
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06-6636-1996 |
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This theater offers Manzai (a Japanese stand-up comedy), Rakugo (a Japanese traditional sit-down comedy), and Yoshimoto Shinkigeki (a stage comedy performed by Yoshimoto Kogyo comedians). Performers present their popular gags and ad-lib jokes so anyone can enjoy Osaka's famous brands of comedy entertainment. |
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11-6, Namba-sennichimae, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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| 06-6641-0888 |
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06-6631-0740 |
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Presenting traditional performing arts typical of the Kansai area in addition to regular performances of Bunraku, this is the place to enjoy Kabuki, Buyo (Japanese traditional dance), Hogaku (traditional Japanese music), and other performing arts. |
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1-12-10, Nipponbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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| 06-6212-2531 |
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"Nippon-bashi of Osaka is often compared with the Akihabara district of Tokyo. East VS West, as has so often been the case in Japanese history, this is Osaka's version of a great electrical equipment town where war, although a rather exciting price war only, never seems to end. |
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4, Nipponbashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka |
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The street along the northern side of the Dotonbori River is an extensive, neon-lit, downtown nightspot. After the neon signs come on at sunset they seem to become brighter as the night goes on. |
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Soemoncyo, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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The Shinsai-bashi area consists of Shinsai-bashi-Suji, the American Village and the European street running east-west along Suo-cho-Suji. Osaka's biggest shopping arcade runs north to south and is located in the east of Mido-Suji. The combination of old and new in Shinsai-bashi provides for a most harmonious blend. |
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Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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Suo-cho-Suji, spreading from Mido-suji and heading east, is called European Street. A stone pavement and London-style streetlights create a somewhat European mood. |
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American Village is located in the west of Mido Suji and is one of the most pulsating areas in Minami. As a source of fashion for young people, it offers many import shops selling secondhand clothes as well as gift shops, galleries, and used record shops. |
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Nishi-shinsaibashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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Shinsekai is located in the western part of Tennoji Park. Its landmark is the Tsutenkaku Tower which is one of the symbols of Osaka. Jan-jan alley is a famous shopping street along a narrow lane where small and cheap restaurants, bars that open in the morning, Japanese chess clubs and movie theaters sit side-by-side. It is a place filled with the cheap, casual and friendly atmosphere of "shita-machi" (a residential and commercial area where local people and their families have been living since time immemorial). |
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1-18-6, Ebisu-higashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka (Tsutenkaku) |
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10am-6pm, 10am-7.30pm (Jan.1-11), 10am-8pm (Jul.21-Aug.31) (Admission until 30min prior to closing time) |
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Open 365 days a year |
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| 06-6641-9555 |
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06-6641-9559 |
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A large-scale park in Osaka, not unlike a green paradise, Tennoji Park is located in the center of the Tennoji district. It covers a huge 260,000 square meters and in its grounds offers a Japanese garden named Keitakuen, and a playground equipped with wooden equipment for children to play on. |
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Chausuyama-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka |
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9.30am-5pm ( Admission until 4.30pm (park), 4pm (zoo) ) |
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Mon. (If Mon. is a holiday, Tue. will be closed.), Dec.29-Jan.1 |
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| 150 yen (Park), 500 yen (Zoo) |
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| 06-6771-8401 |
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06-6772-4633 |
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Japan's first big temple was founded by Shotoku Taishi in 593 and in the 1400 years since has been struck by disaster and reconstructed many times. The layout of temples in the then Asuka period is still preserved in the modern version. |
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1-11-18, Shitennoji, Tennoji-ku, Osaka |
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8.30am-4.30pm (Admission until 4.10pm) (Apr.-Sep.), 8.30am-4pm (Admission until 3.40pm) (Oct.-Mar.) |
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Treasure house: Mon. (If Mon. is a national holiday, it will still be open) |
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| 06-6771-0066 |
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06-6773-4921 |
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Sumiyoshi Head Shrine is the senior most shrine of more than 2000 Sumiyoshi shrines all over Japan. It is dedicated to the Shinto god of safe voyages, martial arts, and Japanese poetry. As a result it has been a local point of worship since ancient times. |
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2-9-89, Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka |
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6am-5pm (Apr.-Sep.), 6.30am-5pm (Oct.-Mar.) |
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| 06-6672-0753 |
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06-6672-0110 |
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As the town of the Korean Barbecue, or, Korea Town for short, Tsuruhashi is famous all over Japan. The market, where the atmosphere of the postwar black market culture remains, offers many Korean delicacies including, of course, kimuchi or Korean pickles. |
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120 years ago, Osaka's first railway station was built in the Umeda area. Since then, Umeda, and especially the area around Osaka Station, has been continually developing and growing as the main entrance point to the Kansai region. Umeda has JR railways, private railways and subway lines all servicing the station and is a hub of the district's traffic network in addition to being a shopping and gourmet locale. The immediate district around Umeda is called Kita. |
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Osaka Castle, with its history of over 400 years was originally built by one of the greatest warlords in the history of Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, son of a farmer. The castle, in all its majesty now stands as the best known symbol of Osaka. |
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1-1, Osakajo, Chuo-ku, Osaka |
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9am-5pm (Admission until 4.30pm) |
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Dec.28-Jan.1 |
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| 06-6941-3044 |
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06-6941-2197 |
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This shopping and gourmet area is located around the Hankyu Umeda Station area. Enjoy great shopping and excellent dining. |
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1-1-3, Shibata, Kita-ku, Osaka |
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10am-9pm (Restarants -11pm) |
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| 06-6371-3303 |
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This complex offers a lot of activities such as amusement facilities, restaurants and a good many shops. Try out the huge red Ferris wheel and lets its slow rotation provide you with a chance to enjoy the view. On clear and sunny days even Osaka Bay can be seen. |
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5-15, Kakuda-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka |
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11am-9pm (Restaurants and Amusement -11pm) |
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| 06-6313-0501 |
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To the north of Kita's downtown area two skyscrapers can be seen rising like a huge gate. On the top floor link between these two towers can be found Japan's first floating garden observatory. |
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1chome, Oyodo-naka, Kita-ku, Osaka |
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10am-10.30pm (Admissoin until 10pm) times may change seasonally |
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Open 365 days a year (Except when closed for maintenance) |
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adults 700 yen
junior high / high school students 500 yen
elementary school children 300 yen
infants (3 and above) 100 yen |
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 http://www.skybldg.co.jp/ |
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| 06-6440-3855 |
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Ohatsu Tenjin Shrine (Tsuyunoten Jinjya) |
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The official name of Ohatsu Tenjin is Tsuyu-Tenjinsha. In the Genroku period (during the Edo period), this was a popular spot for the suicide of lovers destined never to be together. Based on this tragic history, Chikamatsu Monzaemon wrote the drama, "Sonezaki Shinju" and through it made Ohatsu Tenjin very famous. |
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2-5-4, Sonezaki, Kita-ku, Osaka |
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9am-10pm |
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| 06-6311-0895 |
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06-6311-0512 |
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Kita-Shinchi is a neon-lit downtown area filled with bars and restaurants yet as time passes, this once closed atmosphere is changing to become much more of an "open city." |
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Mido-suji is Osaka's most prominent main street and runs through the center of Osaka from Umeda in Kita to Namba in Minami. Walking under the ginkgo trees along the marble pavement, you'll see Osaka's heart and will experience many aspects of the city. |
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Nakanoshima Park is located on a sandbank between the Dojimagawa River and the Tosaborigawa River. This sandbank, spreading 3.5km east to west contains a park in the eastern Mido-Suji whose inner rose garden is the largest in Osaka containing 4000 beautiful roses which are most impressive during the blooming season. |
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1, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka |
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| 06-6312-8121 |
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Osaka Central Public Hall |
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This building has beautiful red brick walls and a copper green roof. People enjoy its appearance and it is one of the most scenic points in Nakanoshima Park. Rich in the atmosphere of the Taisho Romanesque era, it remains as the symbol of Nakanoshima. |
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1-1-27, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka |
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9.30am-9.30pm |
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Forth Tue. |
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| 06-6208-2002 |
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The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka |
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This museum has a collection of about 2,700 items, such as Korean ceramics from the Goryeo and Joseon Dynasty, Chinese ceramics from the time between the Eastern Han and Ming Dynasty as well as local Japanese ceramics. It is one of the best museums in the world to view Oriental ceramics. |
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1-1-26, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka |
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9.30am-5pm (Admission until 4.30pm) |
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Mon. (If Mon. is a holiday, Tue. will be closed), the day after a national holiday, Dec.28-Jan.3, Period for change of exhibits. |
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| 06-6223-0055 |
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06-6223-0057 |
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Osaka River Cruise "Aqua-Liner" |
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City Information
General Information & What's New
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